Name
Frederick Coughtrey
22 Aug 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/02/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
23540
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford, St Mary's Parish Church Memorial, Watford, Watford Printers Memorial, Watford, Not on the Tring memorials
Pre War
Frederick Coughtrey was born on 22 Aug 1893 in Tring, Herts, (baptised 2 July1899 at Sts Peter & Paul, Tring), the son of Herbert George Coughtrey, bricklayer, and Ellen (nee Drake). His parents had married 1892 in the Berkhamsted, Herts, district. Herbert George died 1934 in Watford aged 73, and was buried 1 Nov in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Ellen died 15 Aug 1946 in Watford aged 82, and was buried 20 Aug, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Frederick attended first New Mill JMI School, Tring, from 31 Aug 1896 to 4 Sep 1899; then Victoria Infants’ School, Watford; finally Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 5 Mar 1900 to 31 Jul 1907. He resided in Watford.
On the 1901 Census, the family of his parents, Nellie Maria, (born 1893) Frederick, Florence E (born 1896), George (born 1893), and Rose (born 1898) were living at 41, Fearnley Street, Watford.
On the 1911 Census, a printer’s reader ,Frederick still lived in Watford, with his parents, George (printers errand boy), Rose and Harry (born 1904) at 64, Souldern Street, Watford.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Frederick, who had enlisted at Ampthill, Beds for the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 23540, at some time in his service he was promoted to Lance Corporal and was in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, which having been converted to War Service was part of 190 Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. This Division had served at Gallipoli and had returned in May 1916 to the Western Front at the Somme, the Bedfordshire joining on 27 Jul 1916 . They took part in the Battle of Ancre (13-18 Nov 1916) on the Somme Battlefield and in 1917 took part in the Operations on the Ancre (11 Jan- 13 Mar) . Frederick was reported killed in action during one of these actions on 26 Feb 1917. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £5 and arrears of £5 1s was paid to his mother.
There are articles about Frederick in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 10 Mar 1917 and 17 Mar 1917. Unfortunately, Frederick’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
His brother George served with the Middlesex Regiment and was killed in action on 24 Feb 1917 and also features on Watford Borough Roll of Honour.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
